Edited by: Priapus, Marethyu

Not having anything else to do after finishing up the clone bot, I decided to spend the two hours I had in the dungeon investigating the island I planned to build my base on. Of all the islands of Hawaii, I chose one that is practically uninhabited. You know, making extra sure to be alone.

How am I able to do that? By just flying there, obviously. It was very early in the morning, so now, while I should be sleeping, I wore my darker outfit, the cloaking tech, and left Japan as fast as I could. I've made sure to set up a few hidden cameras in Kuoh in case something happens, like, say, the yakuza noticing me going missing, but so far, so good.

The flight to Hawaii, which usually would take about seven hours from Tokyo on a normal plane, barely takes a few minutes. With my new stats and perks, it's unreal how fast I can move compared to current technology. Not counting supernatural tech, I can move quicker than even the most technologically advanced jets. But self-worship can wait until later.

My first-ever secret base will be on the island of Kaho'owale, where any type of sightseeing is restricted unless you have explicit permission from the Hawaii government. Why is it restricted? Because that's the island the US Army used for target practice during World War 2. It's the perfect place.

I just have to dig maybe a few hundred meters and hide underneath the island. That way, it becomes much harder to find even without any cloaking tech I surround it with. Then, I'll only need to excavate around and make as big of a space as I require for my hidden army. Perhaps I can start from the ocean floor near the island? That way I don't have to even set foot on the island and risk getting caught.

Then, once I advance my tech enough, I'll create teleporters so I can go back and forth without wasting a minute. Or, you know, I'll get that blond chick's portal power because tech teleporters or not, I want that ability bad. I've seen how it can be used in combat, and holy shit is it busted.

Though, that's a mission for another day. Maybe I can strike during the vacation? There won't be as many yakuza monitoring me, and while I would really love to kill her before she's able to put up a fight, I should be prepared for the worst. If I'm lucky, she'll be in a place where she's alone and unsuspecting. I've noticed that she likes Sairaorg a bit too much. She barely leaves his side.

But I digress. I've seen enough, and I feel satisfied with Nemesis' suggestion, so after just a few minutes of checking that island out, I returned to Japan with no one any the wiser, utilizing the dungeon to slip into my house without being noticed.

And with a few hours to spare, I figure I'll brainstorm some ideas for Nemesis' body. Since I'm planning to build something that oughta be strong enough to rival and maybe surpass Satan-class, I can't be half-assing this.

So the first thing I do is open one of the sphere generators the Yakuza gave me, looking at the glowing orb of energy inside it in thought.

"Interesting. I can sense magic from it, and yet…" Lucifer mutters. "Not quite. Almost tainted."

No, more precisely, it feels like it transformed into something else. On first thought, one would think it's magic, but you don't need more than a few seconds to notice how artificial this feels.

Artificial. That's it. This would be an artificial equivalent since magic is a natural element in this universe. Obviously, I knew this was kind of the case ages ago, but I thought it simply turned magical energy straight into power, just as we do most other natural elements.

That's not entirely true. Instead, it's turned into this odd artificial mana, which is then used to power their tech. At first, I wasn't sure why they do something like this, but upon closer examination, I see the well of untapped potential this type of energy has.

Because without magic, tech cannot compare, but at the same time, tech can't handle too much magic without failing. So, they had to find an alternative so they could rival the other factions. Thus, this new energy was invented to bridge the gap between magic and tech.

"This thing can do so much more than simply power up tech. It's a new type of energy they've invented." I tell Lucifer. "This can be immensely powerful in the right hands. In a way, it's similar to how human magic uses calculations to work, only vastly superior."

This is because calculations aren't needed in this instance. It needs programming.

"Oh?" He raises a brow. "You've figured out that much already?"

"Yeah. But even I can tell that they're not close to perfecting it yet." I nod. "This energy is clearly still in its infancy. A prototype, perhaps. Either that, or they've simply not realized its true potential."

"Is that so? Fascinating. Are you implying it can be improved?"

"To a level beyond anything they could comprehend," I smirk. "And I have all the skills I need to do that. Though, honestly, I don't think I'm gonna risk messing with the Tojo Clan's toys like this."

"So you wish to make your own enhanced version."

"Pretty much. Too bad, though. That's not going to be easy." I lean back on my chair, stretching my arms with a sigh. "I need quality materials to start working on something like that, and I don't want to ask the yakuza for niche requests like this. Otherwise, I'll start looking suspicious."

And I doubt they'll have the thing I have in mind anyway.

"Hmm…"

But still, this is a massive step in making the ultimate machine. If I can utilize a better version of that energy for his body, Nemesis is going to be a force to be reckoned with. Hell, in the best-case scenario, he becomes stronger than even me right now.

"So you wish to find and gather your own resources," Lucifer mutters before giving me a smile. "I see. Well, that's not a problem."

I blink.

"You have a suggestion?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Have you ever heard of Agreasite?" He asks, prompting me to shake my head. "They're potent magical crystals found on Agreas, a floating island in the underworld above the Agares territory."

"And you think they're suited for what I have in mind?"

"I'm positively certain." He confirms with a nod. "After all, among the hundreds of tools and artifacts they were utilized in, Excelsis was one of them."

"Oh." My eyes widen in surprise. "For real?"

"I have no reason to lie," Lucifer says. "I imagine something of that caliber would work well enough?"

"Oh, they sound perfect. If it was a component of Excelsis, then they're everything I need." I grin. "A handful of those should be more than enough."

I've never heard of those crystals before, so I guess I'll need to do some research. I hope Lucy isn't working with outdated knowledge and that these crystals don't exist anymore. That would suck.

But the Agares, huh? That time-stopping girl during the tournament was an Agares, too, wasn't she? Do I think I can get two birds with one stone? Or should I minimize risks and steal only a few crystals? Not to sound paranoid, but I don't want to look weird asking her for it. That could one day end up with my alternate persona going poof.

Though I imagine a place like this would be heavily guarded, so I'll need to map out the island and figure out a good plan of attack. If this 'Agreasite' is as strong as Lucifer is implying, then I'd be dumb not to try getting a few for myself despite the risks.

"I'll definitely keep it in mind." I nod. "Thanks, Lucy."

His amused gaze lingers on me for a few moments before he responds.

"Lucy, hmm? You're being rather comfortable with me, aren't you?" He says. "Are you sure that is wise? I'm the Great Devil King, after all."

I blink.

"…So you don't want to be called Lucy?" I ask a little cautiously.

That honestly kind of slipped. I didn't mean to call him that out loud.

Thankfully, he just chuckles.

"No, I was only making an observation." He waves it off. "You may call me whatever you wish."

Oh. Okay. That's good.

"Alright. I'll keep calling you Lucy, then." I nod. "It's cuter."

Besides, being heard talking to an imaginary friend called Lucifer would raise more eyebrows than talking to someone named Lucy.

With that, I put all the tools I have lying around in my inventory right before the dungeon shatters, bringing me back to the real version of my room.

"Oh, are you done for today?"

"Yup," I respond. "I'm about to hit the time limit for the dungeon anyway."

"Ah yes, the time limit." He comments. "Such arbitrary rule for an extraordinary power."

"Tell me about it." I huff

After stretching my arms, I exit my room and make my way downstairs, feeling a little peckish after a long morning of experimenting. I don't feel like leaving the house, so I check what's in the fridge first, being greeted with nothing but a few energy drinks I've been stocking up on.

"Oh, Akane! Good morning!" My mother smiles as she walks down the stairs. "You're up early— aaand you didn't sleep yet, did you?"

"Nope," I respond, grabbing a can and closing the fridge.

"Of course." She sighs. "Please take care of yourself better. You said you wanted to study with Icchan today, didn't you?"

"I'll be fine. I don't even feel sleepy," I say as I open up and sip my seventh can of energy drink. "…Where are you going anyway?"

I only just noticed her state of dress. Now, she never exactly wears anything extravagant or expensive when she goes out, content with a white shirt, black leather jacket, and jeans, but I can very much tell that she's going out because of the sunglasses on her face.

"Secret~" She winks.

"I see. Have fun."

"Wha— You're not even going to ask more?!" She exclaims with an exaggerated tone. "Aren't you the slightest bit curious?!"

"Not really." I shrug. "Just get me something to eat when you come back."

The supposedly grown woman gives me a childish pout, harrumphing and walking toward the front door.

"Why don't you learn how to cook something for yourself for once?"

"Oh, please. You don't know how to cook either." I fire back. As she tries to argue, I speak over her. "Knowing how to use a rice cooker doesn't count."

She doesn't bother responding to that as she leaves the house and angrily shuts the door behind her, making me sigh to myself. It's like she never grew up past fifth grade. It's embarrassing.

"You two are precious~" Lucy chuckles.

"Shush you."

Oh well. McDonald's it is.

– Ichiban –

Moving through the crowded Tenkaichi Street, Ichiban stopped by the Torii Gate, scanning for and spotting his boss standing alone, waiting for him. He picked up the pace and hurried over to where Arakawa was, his apology drawing the older man's attention.

"Sorry for being late, sir." He bowed deeply. "I forgot how enthusiastic the thugs here are about getting their asses kicked."

"It's alright. As long as you're here before your ride." Arakawa said before pausing. "…Interesting haircut."

Ichiban felt his face glowing red at the mention of his afro.

"I-I thought I'd have it cut while I'm here." He said. "But the barber messed it up, and I didn't have time to complain."

In reality, he remembered how Akane said that she liked it this way. Ichiban could be making the greatest mistake of his life by bringing it back for her sake, but if she did end up making fun of him, he'd just get rid of it again.

He'd rather go bald if he was being honest.

"I see." His boss hummed.

Before he could ask anything further, Ichiban quickly voiced his thanks, eager to deflect any awkwardness in the air.

"Thanks again for everything, sir." He bowed before his boss once again. "I'll be sure to visit again after the exams."

"You don't have to. I'll probably be busy by then anyway." Arakawa said. "Enjoy your vacation with your friends instead. You got anything planned?"

"Not really." He rubbed his neck. "I mean, I thought I'd hang around Kamurocho, but I guess spending it in Kuoh is fine too."

It was probably for the best if anything. Since most of the training tools were there, staying in Kuoh sounded a lot more convenient. Kamurocho didn't have a cool facility he could use, as far as he was aware.

That thought reminded him of that rumor about an underground coliseum back in the day, but even if it did exist, he didn't think it would be useful to him.

"I see. Never considered traveling out of the country?"

"Eh, I don't know about that. I mean, I've never even left Kanto." He admitted. He'd never been on a plane before. "Traveling sounds a little scary."

"It can be for a first-timer. But it's fun and fulfilling." His boss said. "Try it out one day. The United States and most places in Europe are good for sightseeing."

"I'll consider it." Ichiban nodded. "Though, I wouldn't know where I'd get the money for that kind of thing."

"Since you've never left the country, I'll cover it for you just this once." Arakawa offered. "Just let me know where you want to go, and I'll have it handled."

"You're doing way too much, sir. Please, I only just joined the family." Ichiban felt embarrassed. "I want to prove myself before I get rewarded like this. I can't take advantage of your kindness."

"There it is again. Your desire to prove yourself even though you don't need to." His boss responded, a little unamused. "You can be a hassle sometimes, you know? Stop making a fuss, and let me treat you."

"Sorry…"

Arakawa only sighed.

"Oh well." He said with a smile. "At least it makes me sure that you're taking it seriously."

"Naturally." Ichi saluted. "Being part of the family was everything I wanted. I'd never half-ass being a yakuza. One day, I'll be just as good as you."

"That would be a day worth celebrating." Arakawa chuckled. "I'm looking forward to it."

He patted Ichiban on the shoulder, prompting the younger man to give him a determined smile. That was a promise he would fulfill no matter what he had to do. To be one like the legends of the Tojo Clan. Like Goro Majima, Taiga Saejima, Kazuma Kiryu, and Masumi Arakawa. That was Ichiban's ultimate goal.

As they continued their conversation for a few more minutes, a silver-colored and very expensive-looking car stopped by them, confusing Ichi greatly. He couldn't tell who it was in the driver's seat— the windows were highly shaded, but a part of him felt highly suspicious.

That was until his boss spoke.

"Looks like your ride is here," Arakawa said.

"Eh?" He blinked. "Um, you mean this car?"

"Yes."

After a pause, Ichiban looked around, seeing if his boss meant something else, but no other car was parked next to them.

"This one?"

"Yes."

"The Bentley?"

"Yes, Ichiban." He nodded. "The silver Bentley that's parked right next to us."

"F-for me?!" His eyes widened. "Isn't this a bit excessive?!"

He almost couldn't believe it. He thought the Yakuza would try to be a little more inconspicuous. You know, considering they're Japan's supernatural force. Where nearly nobody 'normal' would know. Who would try to flaunt their wealth like this? And for Ichiban, of all people?

"Well, this wasn't my choice," Arakawa admitted. "Let's just say that the car's owner volunteered to pick you up."

Suddenly, Ichiban felt even more nervous than he already was.

"Good luck with your exams, Ichi."

"R-right." He nodded. "Thanks. I promise I'll do my best."

His boss nodded, and Ichi went to open the door.

"Ah, right, before you go—" His boss said, prompting Ichiban to glance at him again. "Here. I forgot to give you this last night."

Ichiban accepted the gift, pausing as he recognized it.

"This is the family's crest pin." He said.

Oh, he was going to look so damn cool with this on when he returned to Kuoh. Sure, maybe the Arakawa wasn't the most prominent or most accomplished family in the Tojo Clan, but goddamn it, they had a legend leading them. Ain't that enough?

"Don't lose it, okay?" His boss said. "And I'm sure you don't need me telling you this, but don't wear it while you're in school."

"Right. Thank you, sir." He nodded again as he pocketed it. "See you soon."

Ichiban then stepped forward, nervously putting his hand on the door handle before opening it. As he got in, he anxiously tried to glance at the driver, his eyes widening in recognition and surprise as he saw who it was.

"Good morning~" She greeted him with a big smile and a wink behind her shades. "And I see the afro is back, eh?"

"Mizuki-san?!"

"In the flesh." Akane's mother giggled. "So, whaddya think? It's cool, right?"

"Wait, this is your car?!"

"Yup!" She confirmed, seamlessly rejoining the lane. "Now you can brag about getting a luxury car ride with the coolest auntie around. Rejoice, Icchan! Your popular phase is within sight!"

For some reason, something about Mizuki implying that he wasn't popular — even if she had no way of knowing — rubbed him the wrong way. Did she think he looked boring or something? For his own sake, Ichiban didn't dwell on it and continued with the conversation.

"Y-yeah. Thanks." He muttered, with Akane's mother being none the wiser. "It's pretty surprising, though. I know you owned a few cars, but Akane never said anything about something this upscale."

"Well, to be honest, this is the only luxury car I ever bought. I usually prefer the regular cheaper ones since, y'know, they do the job just as well. I see no reason to flaunt my wealth and buy expensive sports cars." She shrugged. "But I saw this one last year and couldn't resist. Why not, right?"

That made sense. Being humble is great, but anyone with her wealth would want to burn some cash every now and then.

"How much did you get it for?"

"About 35,000,000 Yen, I think?" She hummed, casually mentioning a number that made Ichiban want to cry a little. "Or a little higher than that. I don't remember."

She didn't remember how much money she spent on something like this.

Rich people, man. Ichiban resisted a sigh.

And to think this probably didn't make any difference to her net worth. Ichiban wasn't a jealous person, but as a guy who'd lived most of his life in poverty, he prayed for wealth like this one day. Not having to eat bland and cheap convenience store meals just to survive sounded like a dream. He could have sushi all day, every day.

"I-I see. That's impressive." He cleared his throat, quickly changing the subject. He didn't want to dwell on it too long— being poor was depressing enough. "So, uh, why'd you decide to pick me up?"

"Hm? Oh, well, Akane told me about your situation last night, and I had nothing to do, so why not?" She responded. "And driving in this every once in a while sounds nice."

"I guess it does." He smiled. "Thank you, Mizuki-san. I'm sorry for all the trouble."

"Eh, don't mention it. It's really nothing." Mizuki said. "You're like my own son, too."

They continued to talk for a few minutes, Ichiban once again noting how different the mother and daughter were. From the way they talked and behaved, one would think that there was no way they were related. Akane was a cool and collected lady who somewhat acted like a typical Himedere, but her mother was a lot more energetic and happy-go-lucky, being far more comfortable in being 'silly' than Akane ever was.

The only thing they shared was looks — obviously — as Akane looked like a clone of her mother whenever she didn't have that emo cut. He could still remember that party night— the one after Rias' Rating Game against Riser. Akane had looked like someone else entirely. It had been stunning.

But she'd always been breathtaking to him, so maybe that was nothing new.

For a while, as the conversation died down, he and Mizuki enjoyed a pleasant moment of silence between them until she decided to break it first.

"…Soooooo…"

"Hm?"

"I don't know how to start this, but uh…" She cleared her throat. "…You and Akane, huh?"

Ichiban visibly froze, breaking into a cold sweat as he tried his best not to look at her.

"How did you know?"

"Oh, please. My daughter, who was almost kidnapped not that long ago, mind you, didn't come back home for a night." She huffed. "How do you think I was supposed to react?"

"Ah…"

"I haven't seen you two 'in action' if that's what you're worried about. Only you and her. Sharing a bed. Without any clothes on." She said curtly. "And I can't say I'm exactly pleased."

Ichiban felt a shiver go down his spine at her cold tone. He was alone in a car with the mother of the girl he'd had sex with. He wasn't sure just how much she knew, but if she was lacking in the context of what actually happened, then he was just fucking dead.

Because when they did it, they'd been drunk. There are very few ways that this could be interpreted, and with someone as protective as Mizuki, she might get the wrong idea and destroy him out of a misunderstanding.

He had to say something before she turned him into a lizard-flavored popsicle.

"Just to let you know, she came onto me." He said, quickly trying to defend himself. "I-I tried to stop her, but she was too insistent and I—"

"And you folded. I know." She nodded. How? "I like you, Icchan, but you never struck me as the type to take initiative regarding romance. Or sex."

Wow.

Haha!

Shut up.

"And don't worry, I'm not mad at you. I knew it was going to happen eventually. Come on, she kissed you during that Rating Game." Mizuki sighed. Good point. "I'm just a little disappointed in Akane. I mean, even before a first date? That's not how I raised her."

Ichiban thanked his lucky stars that she wasn't going to feed him his own frozen dick and balls for fucking her daughter. He'd seen a glimpse of her anger once at school during Parent's Day, and he did not want to see it again.

Someone as kind and fun-loving as Mizuki getting mad was a scary thought. It ran in the family, apparently.

However, that was only stage one. He knew ever since he woke up yesterday that he had to confront Mizuki and ask if she was okay with it. Of course, this wasn't how dating typically worked in the modern age as far as he was aware, but he'd been a virgin with zero experience before that night, and he respected the Amamiya Matriarch too much to never ask.

There wasn't a lot he could do if he was rejected by her. And while he was 100% sure Akane would just ignore her orders and tell her to go die, not being accepted by Mizuki would still hurt a lot.

He had to choose his words carefully here. He couldn't disappoint Mizuki of all people.

"But I can't be mad at her for too long. After all, I'm glad that it was you that she latched onto." She added. "Knowing it wasn't with some scumbag who would break her heart makes me relieved."

"Eh? Wait, you're okay with me dating Akane?"

"Well, yeah. I know the kind of person you are, Icchan." She nodded, her happy smile returning. "There's no other person I trust her to be with more than you."

…That was easy.

"You're a thoughtful and hard-working gentleman. I always thought you were a good match for her ever since I met you the first time." Mizuki patted him on the shoulder, one hand on the steering wheel. "I know Akane will be happy with a handsome young man like you."

"Hearing that makes me feel a little embarrassed." He said as he rubbed his neck, not expecting this at all.

Mizuki giggled.

"To be honest, I'm more worried about you." She admitted. "I know how stubborn my daughter can be sometimes. I really hope she doesn't do something stupid and push you away."

"I know how she is too, Mizuki-san, and I'm prepared. I can handle her worst." He claimed. "No matter what happens, I'll be there for her."

Mizuki looked both surprised and relieved at his promise, her smile turning warm.

"You really love her, don't you?"

"I do." He said without hesitation. "I don't know when it happened, but ever since I fell for her, my feelings kept growing by the day. I've only ever fantasized about going out with her. I really am lucky that she felt the same."

"No, Icchan. She is lucky to have someone like you by her side." Mizuki disagreed. "Akane may seem like a girl with a strong character, and she definitely is. She can take care of herself just fine. But she's also very delicate on the inside, y'know? She needs people like you."

Ichiban waited for her to finish.

"She doesn't show that side of her a lot, thinking it makes her look shameful or weak, so she just bottles it up. But she can only do so much before she breaks down. I've seen it happen more than once." She continued. "That's why I have a request for you, Icchan."

Her smile faded, replaced by a look shadowed with worry and guilt that tugged at her features.

"Please don't give up on her." She asked. "No matter what she does, always be by her side. Scold her whenever she does something terrible, but make sure she feels loved. Be her anchor in case bad things happen. Be there to lead her back to the right path whenever she strays off."

"Mizuki-san…"

"I know I'm being very selfish, Icchan. And I'm sorry." Mizuki admitted. "It's just… Something feels wrong, but I don't know what it is. Every day, I wake up feeling like something terrible is about to happen. With Akane being at the center of it."

Ichiban was at a loss for words. He had never seen this vulnerable side of Mizuki before, and it left him both worried and confused. He didn't think she felt this way.

But to show him this side of hers meant that she trusted him a lot.

"She may not show it, but she really does love you back. A lot more than you'd think." She added. "That's why I'm asking you. You're the only person I can rely on to make sure she doesn't do something she regrets. Please."

At her heartfelt request, Ichiban couldn't exactly reject her. Not that he planned to, anyway. As he had said before, he was prepared to handle her worst. Which was a big claim, knowing the kind of person she was, but he was confident in himself.

He wanted this relationship to blossom into something more one day. Perhaps Ichiban was getting ahead of himself, but he could see a bright future with her. One he would do anything to see fully realized.

And so, he nodded, giving Akane's mother a grin.

"Leave it to me, Mizuki-san." He gave her a thumbs up. "I won't let anything get in between us, even if she's the one trying to push me away."

Mizuki smiled back at him, relieved at his response.

"Thank you, Icchan. I mean it." She said. "Now that's done and settled, you didn't eat anything, did you? Because I'm starving, and I'm craving a big bowl of ramen. How about it? My treat, of course."

"That'd be awesome. Thank you so much!"

Admittedly, Ichiban wasn't sure what had worried Mizuki so much about the future, but it was his responsibility to take care of her daughter—more than just a bodyguard, but as a man too.

These past few days had made him realize that many people were relying on him, and he'd be damned if he let any of them down.

– Akane –

Any other time, I'd say that bothering with something like this is a huge waste of time. I mean, really, studying for high school exams when I can build machinery straight out of Sci-Fi novels? Really? I might as well take a nap instead. Unironically better use of my time.

However, I don't really have anything to do anyway. There aren't quests to complete, I spent my two hours in the dungeon, and I'm done working on my new good guy armor. Plus, I'm not studying myself since I've already memorized all the material.

Instead, I'm helping Ichiban study after he asked me to help him out. And why not, right? Sure, I've maxed out his affection already, but this could be fun. I haven't seen him since yesterday morning, either, and I want to know what happened in Kamurocho. I can't have him out of my sight for too long, not when he's close to that beloved boss of his.

Ugh, I should've had a Spyder latch onto him before he left. My fault for not bringing them with me to his apartment. Sure, I wouldn't look questionable if I just asked him like a normal person, but I want all the details. Details he'd likely omit for one reason or another. Not knowing things makes me anxious and annoyed.

I can't let that happen again, so I brought my cute, tiny Spyders to the cafe where we decided to meet. It's my favorite cafe in Kuoh, and thankfully, the yakuza own it, so I told them to reserve it for us only. It makes things a little romantic.

I sip from my hot cocoa in wait, flipping through the pages of a shonen manga until the bell at the door rings as it swings open. I turn and look at Ichiban with his school bag, eyes widening as the first thing I notice is his haircut.

"No way, you brought the afro back!" I say with a beaming grin. "You're finally whole again!"

"Why do you sound so excited?" He scowls. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Please, of all the things to be insecure about…" I roll my eyes. "I told you a thousand times already; it looks great on you."

"Yeah, I'm sure you mean it." He scoffs, though I catch the undertone of giddiness he's trying so hard to hide.

"You're so cute when you act like that."

"Shut up." He says, putting the bag next to him as he goes to sit opposite of me. "So, uh, nice place. I've never been here before."

I look at him with an unamused frown, which he quickly notices.

"What?" He blinks.

"Oh, I don't know— not sitting in this perfectly nice and comfy chair here?" I point at the seat next to me. "What's wrong with you, taking the farthest seat from me? Are you trying to tell me something? How rude. That's not how you should treat a gorgeous princess like me, you know?"

"U-uh, yeah." He clears his throat as he gets up, his expression turning into one of exasperation and mild embarrassment. "Sorry."

He sits right next to me, which turns my frown upside down as I give him a cheeky smirk while brushing my shoulder against his.

"Much better," I say approvingly. "It better not happen again. You don't want to hurt your girlfriend's feelings, do you?"

Ichiban pauses for a moment before he rubs his neck awkwardly.

"You mean, we're a thing?"

"Hm?"

"I wasn't sure until now, to be honest." He says. "I thought what happened back at my apartment was kind of a one-off thing…"

Oh, the fucking nerve of his idiot.

"Are you serious?" I give him an annoyed glare. "What kind of person do you take me for, Ichiban?"

"Eh?"

"A one-off thing? Seriously? Do you think I'd just throw myself at anyone just because I felt horny like some kind of animal? Please." I scoff, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him close. "Nobody in this world deserves to even see my exposed leg for me to act like that. If anyone dares to get a glimpse of my perfect figure without my explicit permission, I'd carve their eyes out."

He flinches and gulps at my unexpected response.

I'm honestly kind of offended that he'd suggest something like this. What am I, some cheap whore? I oughta kick his ass for implying such a thing, intentionally or not.

But I feel nice today, and I'm reasonable enough to know that he lacks confidence in himself when it comes to romance and sex.

"U-um, I mean, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything." He quickly apologizes. "It's just— we did it before we even went on a date. So I thought maybe—"

"Dates. What a stupid concept. We hung out countless times. It's the same damn thing." I reply, letting go of him. "Besides, it's not about how many dates we had. It's about privilege."

"Privilege?" He blinks.

"Yes. And you were only given that divine privilege because of two reasons." I bring up two fingers, curling each one as I list them off. "One: You've earned my trust. I know the kind of person you are. If you were undeserving, I wouldn't have even sent any of those images for you to enjoy."

Besides, if I did send something and he was someone undeserving, I could just as easily hack into his phone and delete the image from it. Even if he did share it somewhere, the internet isn't safe from Nemesis. He'd track it in nanoseconds and get it deleted.

"And two: You proved your strength." I continue. "After all, remember our little challenge? Despite losing the tournament, you still defeated me. Me. The most talented being in the entire universe. Doesn't that speak volumes of how hard you worked to get this far? I find that both admirable and attractive."

Sure, had I gone all out, I would've actually killed him early in the fight, but I was still pushed to my limit. I was knocked out. Whether I held back or not isn't relevant here. And yeah, I might've been very frustrated at first, but I feel better now, so oh well.

Busted Sacred Gear and Balance Breaker aside, he still put in sweat, blood, and tears to get this far.

"So don't get it twisted next time, and be thankful for the heavenly gift you were given," I conclude, my smirk returning. "Who knows? If you keep impressing me, maybe I'll let you have more fun~"

For a while, Ichiban doesn't say anything before giving me an odd smile.

"You know, a simple 'I love you' would've given me the same message."

The sudden and unexpected response catches me off guard, and my heart skips a beat. I try to ignore these annoying feelings by promptly shoving him, embarrassingly stammering a response.

"W-wha— that's not what I meant!" I stutter with a look of surprise. "Are you deaf? I said you were worthy to be dating me. I'm literally a goddess, and you're a peasant. Don't flatter yourself. You better be thankful I'm giving you a chance."

"Yeah, yeah." He rolls his eyes, looking annoyingly smug. "Well, whether it matters to you or not, know that I love you too."

My face grows hot as I resist a very strong urge to punch him in the head.

"Obviously, dumbass. I already knew that." I scoff, crossing my arms in annoyance. "Everyone loves me. Who doesn't."

This isn't fair, you fuck. Only I can tease. Your job is to get embarrassed and act adorably stupid.

Ugh, I could've handled that a lot more gracefully. How does something like that get me all flustered? What am I, a middle schooler?

"You're right, you're right." He chuckles.

"The fuck are you so smug about?" I scowl. "Bastard. You wanna get beaten up?"

"No, no. I'm not being smug." He smugly clears his throat. "So we're officially boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"I prefer the terms 'servant' and 'goddess'."

"Can it be both?" He offers a compromise.

I squint my eyes and hum in thought before shrugging.

"Fine." I accept his terms. "I better be treated like a goddess. You have to spend money on me and always get me gifts, or else I'll be mad and beat you up extra hard during training. I demand three offerings a month. They can be anything, as long as it costs more than a hundred grand. I know you're poor, but that's not an excuse."

"You did not have to bring up my financial crisis." He complains, his forehead hitting the table.

"You broke bitch." I smirk. "Imagine being poor? Couldn't be me."

"Can you not?" He sighs. "Please?"

"Oh, fine. I'm just messing with you anyway." I pat him on the back. "Tell you what? Since I'm a generous goddess who deserves your eternal loyalty and affection, I'll start with the gifts first."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh." I nod. "How about a trip to Hawaii with me during summer vacation?"

Ichiban freezes.

"HUUUH?!" He looks at me in shock. "For real?!"

"Yup." I grin. "First-class vacation with yours truly. Sounds good?"

"It sounds amazing!" He gives me a bright smile. "Are you sure? Is that really fine?"

"Sure it is. I actually have a private resort about thirty minutes away from Honolulu since my parents and I used to travel to Hawaii a lot." I reveal. "But you'll get this trip only if you get in the top ten of the class. I won't be satisfied with anything less."

"Oh, hell yeah! These exams ain't shit!" He confidently claims. Men are so easy. "Wow, how can I ever repay you?"

"Hmm…" I take a moment to think about a proper payment. "Maybe with something like this?"

I grab him by the collar and bring him closer, surprising him with a kiss on the lips. All for the purpose of teasing him. Which works as his face breaks into a deep blush once I pull away. Payback time, bitch.

I am the one who teases.

"This is gonna take a while to get used to…" He mutters.

Adorable.

"Enough wasting time," I tell him, prompting him to rummage through his school bag. "So, what subject do you want to start with?"

Before he can respond, the bell of the door rings again, and in walks Issei, Rias, Sona, and their peerages, making me blink in surprise. Before I can ask what the hell they are doing here, the redhead is the first one to speak.

"Heyhey! We heard there's a group study here." She says, cheerful as ever. "So we wanted to join. The more the merrier, right?"

"You wanted to join." Sona sighs. "I didn't. I have already studied. You're just dragging me with you."

"Don't lie." Rias giggles. "You were up for it when you heard Akane was here."

"I was not!"

As I'm about to tell them to fuck off and leave us alone, Ichiban speaks first.

"Oh yeah, sure, come in!" Ichiban invites them with a smile. "I'm sure the cafe is big enough to hold all of us."

I can't help but sigh in mild disappointment. There goes the romantic mood. Oh well. It doesn't make much difference anyway. And with a group this big, there are plenty of targets to bully.

I feel myself smirk mischievously as I glance at my first target: The blushing Sona, who can't even make proper eye contact with me.

So, what exactly am I complaining about?

Like always, more at pa tre on.